The agenda was rearranged to accommodate visitors, so they wouldn't have to wait while we reviewed the minutes.
Town Meeting VNA Follow Up Discussion
The brief back-story: several years ago the freeps ran a story outing the salaries of the top executives at the non-profit home health agency, Visiting Nurses Association. Following that story, at Jericho's town meeting in 2009, a resident relayed the story to those in attendance. He asked that the increased budget request from the VNA be denied, and suggested instead that the organization be level-funded at the same rate as the year prior.
After some discussion, the town decided to fulfill the VNA's funds request that year. The resident's asked that the SB send a message to the VNA asking for an explanation of the high salaries. The message was sent but there was apparently no reply.
Fastforward to last Thursday's Selectboard (SB) meeting: present to discuss the issue is VNA's CEO, Church Hindes, along with Anne Doremus, a Jericho resident who sits on the VNA's board of trustees.
It seems there have been a few misunderstandings:
- Church said he received the letter from the SB last year and did respond: by phone.
- Church had an amenable conversation with then-town administrator Bert Moffatt, who assured him not to worry about the issue too much. He advised that it would probably blow over.
- The high salaries were described as $600k for the top 3 execs, which may have been misconstrued as $600k for each one. Actually that amount is divided among the three.
- The execs, according to Anne, are in the 25th percentile for similar positions in the region.
- The VNA asks for only about 80% of its Jericho expenses to be reimbursed with taxpayers' money.
So after we'd heard all there was to hear, Tim Nulty (chair of the SB) asked that Mr. Hindes write a letter describing his conversation with Bert. He also asked the chair of the VNA board to send a letter attesting to the relative compensations for similar positions at other organizations.
Proposed Reconfigured Hammerhead for Hunt Subdivision
Larry Young & Marge Hunt presented their revised plan of a turnaround for emergency vehicles and buses. The SB gave them their approval.
Approval of minutes
We approved the minutes with a few typo fixes and clarifications. These minutes should be posted soon online.
Acceptance of Lee River Road Pedestrian Easement
The board reviewed the map and approved the easement as advised. Catherine McMains (who chaired the DRB for a number of years) noted that there are several such easements along Lee River Rd. She expressed the hope that they might all connect one day to create a pedestrian walkway for joggers and others on this town road with a minimal shoulder.
Proclamation of “Way to Go! Community Challenge” Week
We quickly approved this effort to urge residents to find alternate ways to commute for one week. Methods include: biking, taking public transit, carpooling and telecommuting. The Jericho Energy Task Force will spearhead this challenge, which pits Jericho in a friendly competition against neighboring towns. Find out more, sign up, way to go!
CSWD/RPC/MPO Appointments
- CSWD - We reappointed Bert Lindholm and Leslie Nulty to represent Jericho on the CSWD board.
- CCMPO - Tim Nulty was named the board representative, with Bert Moffatt and myself as alternates.
- CCRPC - Catherine McMains was named the board representative, with Bert Moffatt and myself as alternates.
Olde Yankee First Class Liquor License Renewal
No problems here. Since Jericho does not have a Liquor Control Board, the SB acts as one. We approved the renewal of Olde Yankee's liquor license.
Old Pump Road Dog Bite Complaint
Tricky situation. I won't describe the issue in detail, but prefer to just sum it up - some dogs escaped from the house and chased a teenage girl until one bit her. An onlooker along with the owner pulled the dogs away. The town's dog ordinance states that if an injury caused by someone's pet requires medical attention, the SB will hold a quasi-judicial hearing to discover facts and determine the best action. Because the girl did not seek medical attention, the issue does not warrant a hearing. However, the family of the girl wants some retribution and control over the dogs. The owner has promised several improvements, including an invisible fence and obedience classes for the biter. Seeking a solution, the SB will write a letter to the dog owner urging quick action on the promises, and a stern warning that the next bite will cause a serious response.
Open Meeting Law Discussion
We discussed the law for open meetings and reviewed a presentation from the VLCT (Vermont League of Cities and Towns) that covers different circumstances for executive sessions (legal matters, personnel matters), as well as email discussions. I spoke of my concern about email conversations, which seem to go beyond the "information distribution" type that the VLCT recommends, and trend toward discussions of substance. No one intends for an item of note--a simple informational email--to become a discussion that perhaps should be aired in a public forum.
Approve Recreation Program Counselors
This item included a review of the applications for summer camp counselrs. Approved with very little discussion.
